Best Apps for Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) is a disorder in which an individual faces challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication, as well as by unique strengths and differences. Autism is a disorder with a large range of the spectrum. Each individual in the spectrum may need different treatment and may respond to it differently. But there are some treatments of autism available which can help to handle the common problem faced by autistic children. Here are some best apps for autism available for autistic children which can help in their development.

Autism challenges

Kids with autism usually face the following problems:-

Social and communication problems

You may notice that your child have trouble understanding others and expressing themselves, doesn’t seem to know when other kids are teasing him. He cannot start or keep conversations going and exhibits inappropriate facial expressions and body language This might interfere with there ability to get along with others.

Self-injury

It is one of the most devastating behavior exhibited by people with autism. These behaviors include head-banging, hand-biting, and excessive self-rubbing and scratching. The reasons why people engage in self-injury may include biochemical or social causes. Even self-injurious behavior can be controlled in most situations.

Repetitive behavior

It is one of the core symptoms of autism and among the first sign of autism that develops in children. Repetitive behavior includes repeated body movements such as rocking and hand-flapping, ritualistic behavior, sensory sensitivities and circumscribed interests and repeated movements with objects.

Mood instability and breakdowns

Some people may struggle to keep themselves in control of their behavior. In a toddler, it gets labeled a “tantrum” in an older child, it gets labeled a “meltdown”. All this can be because of lack of language and an inability to communicate, broken routines, items out of order, sensory overload, and the unfathomable behavior of the human beings around them. Many people with autism have been diagnosed with or treated for, another psychiatric condition, such as anxiety, depression, or mood disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Challenges of physical fitness

They may face problems with motor (muscle) skills, including balance and coordination like youngsters may be late to sit, crawl or walk, or have unusual ways of accomplishing those milestones. Parents can consult the child’s special education team about occupational and physical therapy in school. Physical therapists address gross motor skills, which involve the large muscles used to walk, run and jump.

Inability to maintain interest

Many people with autism will find it difficult to pay attention to their work. It’s very easy for a child to lose interest. They may easily get distracted by background noise, bright lights, hunger – or the very interesting ideas buzzing around in their head.

Best Apps for Autism

Autism Language and Cognitive Therapy with MITA

MITA, abbreviated for Mental Imagery Therapy for Autism, is a unique application for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This therapy includes bright and interactive puzzles to help children to integrate various features of an object. This has resulted in the vast improvements in general learning of children. This is one of the best apps for autism and is used by more than 150,000 as their regular therapy.

Compatibility– Requires Android 4.1 and up

Children With Autism: A Visual Schedule

In this app, a user is allowed to keep track of the scheduled activities. The schedule helps the user to make days predictable by anticipating and planning changes in a daily routine. This app helps the user to build a deeper understanding of time management and important schedule-related concepts which may include- How long the scheduled activity takes place, recognizing which activity you are engaged at the moment when the next scheduled activity will take place when to get ready to transition etc.

Miracle Modus

This app emits soothing patterns of light and sound. ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) consists of a large range. Every person on Autism Spectrum may exhibit different traits. This app may not help every autistic person but it will help to handle a common problem they face in daily life.

Compatibility– Requires Android 2.2 and up

iPrompts

This is an Educational mobile application that supports organizational skills, sets great expectations for performance, supports, and reminders. It is one of the best apps for autism. Users can create and edit visual activities. Along with this, a setting timer is present with images that show how much time is left for a child to complete an activity.

Compatibility– iPad, iPhone

Pictello

You can create and share visual social stories and schedules using this app. You can add your own pictures, videos, and recordings to stories. By socially sharing stories you create makes it easier to share information while building literacy skills, as well as confidence in storytelling. This app is very useful, especially when preparing autistic individuals for unfamiliar or stressful situations, like doctor’s appointments or visits to unfamiliar places.

Compatibility– Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch

Injini: Child Development Game Suite

It is a learning game for toddlers, preschoolers, and special needs kids. The app consists of nine intuitive and appealing learning games (including puzzles, pattern recognition, matching, and tracing). This will provide countless hours of challenging fun to all kinds of kids. The app also helps users to develop fine motor and language skills, recognize spatial awareness, understand cause and effect, and work on memory and visual processing. Injini has been tested on children with autism.

Compatibility– Requires iOS 8.0 or later. Compatible with iPad.

Learn with Rufus

This app helps autistic children to learn the facial expressions that correspond to happy, sad, angry, afraid, surprised, and disgusted. Dr. Holly Gastgeb designed the App, who is a licensed clinical and developmental psychologist with over ten years of experience working with typically developing children and children with an autism spectrum disorder.

AutisMate

This app is designed to assist users who have difficulty communicating verbally. The app is easy to operate for young children, however, customizing and personalizing the app may require some parental help. This app lets parents set up dynamic situations such as a kid tapping on the faucet and see how to properly wash hands. Thinking Skills Used are Flexibility, Planning, Self-Awareness, Working Memory.

Compatibility– iPad

First-Then Visual Schedule

This app helps to provide positive behavior support to autistic children through the use of “visual schedules”. Specially designed for individuals for communication needs, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders or anyone who would benefit. This app provides excellent language capabilities to learn each and every activity. And the App rewards you on successfully completing it.

Choiceworks

Excellent app for establishing visual schedules like multi-step tasks and routines, like getting ready in the morning, or calming down when they’re upset which are helpful for transitioning students and children. The app schedules the task in a sequential manner. It indicates about completion status of the task. Also helps users in frustrating and overwhelming situations.